Shark Bytes is a monthly notes package featuring news of interest to Shark.com readers. Our intention is to keep you informed with the latest and most up to date events related to Greg Norman and Great White Shark Enterprises.

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Difficult Track Awaits Nationwide Tour In Wine Country

March 29, 2007

The Nationwide Tour heads to the California wine country this week for the first of three stops in the Golden State during 2007 at the second annual Livermore Valley Wine Country Championship.

Situated 45 minutes east of San Francisco in the picturesque rolling hills of Livermore Valley, the field of 144 players will vie for their share of the $625, 000 purse on The Course at Wente Vineyards. Designed by golf legend Greg Norman, the par-72 course proved to be a formidable challenge last year, playing to a stroke average of 74.881 to make it the most difficult layout on the 2006 Nationwide Tour.

The Golf Channel will offer exclusive coverage of the Livermore Valley Wine Country Championship starting Thursday, March 29 at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Oldfield Course Record Falls

March 28, 2007

Jonathan Fricke of Covington, Ga., fired a course-record 65 to take the first-round lead at the Tarheel Tour's inaugural Oldfield Open. Fricke, who started on the back nine, birdied six of his first nine holes at the Greg Norman-designed Oldfield Country Club.

"I've been working on my short game a lot lately and it finally paid off," said Fricke, who is looking to capture his first career win as a professional. Fricke leads by one over Bjorn Widerstedt, a resident of St. Augustine, Fla. Jody Bellflower and Tommy Gainey sit in a tie for third after carding rounds of 67.

Villas At Jumeirah Golf Estates Sell Out In Three Days

March 25, 2007

Whispering Pines, a community of three- and four-bedroom villas at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai's premier residential golf development, sold out in just three days this week, following a unique 'whispering' campaign.

The campaign invited a select group of people who had previously registered with the www.jumeirahgolfestates.com website to apply for sales appointments. All appointments were taken up within a week - and all the villas put up for sale were sold out in only three days.

Whispering Pines is a distinctive community of 158 three- and four- bedroom Tuscan-inspired cottages, offering commanding views over the Fire and Earth courses. It has been created to deliver a total lifestyle package for residents that includes a number of features including: smart-home technology and solar heating; exclusive country club membership rights; European designer kitchens and appliances; Bang and Oulfsen Home Entertainment system; full landscaped gardens and irrigation systems; private swimming pool and golf cart.

Fire and Earth, designed by Greg Norman, are two of four championship courses at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Earth and Fire will both be open in early 2008.

Meeting Discusses The Wave's Progress

March 24, 2007

MUSCAT -- Abdullah bin Abbas bin Ahmed, chairman of Muscat Municipality, and chairman of The Wave - Oman's leading tourism and beachfront residential development - recently hosted delegates from the Sultanate's government bodies and private utility providers in what has been dubbed as a landmark meeting that highlights their successful collaboration on the development.

The Wave, Muscat is a joint venture between Waterfront Investments, (representing the Government of the Sultanate of Oman), Majid Al Futtaim Group and the National Investment Funds Company (representing the amalgamation of Omani Pension Funds), and has been officially granted the right to offer full freehold properties to buyers of any nationality.

The development will encompass a signature 18 hole green links golf course, designed by renowned golfer and designer Greg Norman, a 300 berth marina, four luxury hotels, retail and restaurant outlets along with approximately 400 one-and-two bedroom apartment, three- and four-bedroom town houses and garden, waterfront and beach villas.

The meeting highlighted the progress achieved in the construction of The Wave, Muscat as Abdullah bin Abbas emphasised the government backing to the project, showcasing the inherent strengths of the development.

Did You Know?

March 22, 2007

An international wave of golfers is storming the Doral Golf Resort & Spa for the start of the CA Championship today. The star-studded field inlcudes players from the PGA Tour, European Tour and Asian, Australasian, Japanese and South African (Sunshine) tours. Of the 73 players scheduled to compete, only 27 are from the United States.

Americans won the first 28 tournaments at Doral until Australia's Greg Norman finally breaking the stranglehold in 1990, winning the first of his three victories on the Blue Monster.

The Wave Signs Deal With Fairmont Hotels

March 13, 2007

Muscat, developers of The Wave, Oman's first $2 billion beachfront freehold property, inked a deal with Fairmont Hotels and Resorts to manage a golf resort hotel. It marks the global hospitality chain's foray into the Sultanate.

The new resort will be located adjacent to the 18-hole championship links course designed by Greg Norman.

The tourism component of The Wave, Muscat will be comprised of four hotels. Developers say guests will be able to enjoy the many recreational and retail facilities available throughout the exclusive resort community.

Shark's Mum Records Another Ace

March 4, 2007

Toini Norman, the mother of golf ace Greg Norman, is quite a good golfer in her own right, as evidenced by the umpteen club championships she has won and five career holes in one. But none of the aces is more memorable than the one she scored at the par-three 14th at Pelican Waters a few days back.

Toini, you see, scored it using an iron from the set of clubs that arrived at her Sunshine Coast home a few days earlier. Not only are the clubs a new range designed by her famous son, and specifically for women, but they are called the Lady Hovi range, so named because it is his mother's maiden name.